
THOU SHALT 
NOT KILL 



A PEACE PLAY 

IN ONE ACT 




By MAURICE CAMPBELL 



Copyright, 1Q14, by 
Henrietta Crosman Campbell 



Printed for copyright purposes only. Acting and publication rights reserved. 



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Thou Shalt 
Not Kill 



A Peace Play 



By MAURICE CAMPBELL 



T^3^'V 



CI.D ;!886r) 



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Dedicated to my beloved wife 

HENRIETTA CROSMAN CAMPBELL 

to whom I am indebted for 
the inspiration 



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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2011 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/thoushaltnotkillOOcanip 



CHARACTERS 
A Man 
A Woman 
A Boy 
A Soldier 
Time — The present. Place — Europe 



SCENE — A pretty room in a modest cottage 
— simple, plain, yet with unmistakable peace 
about. At the two windows in the rear are flower 
boxes — filled with blossoms. Outside are the green 
fields and foliage in the distance— peace and 
quiet everywhere. The sun is shining brightly. 
In the left center of the stage is a table with 
rocking-chair of European type at the side. The 
atmosphere is of European peasantry — yet not 
poverty. Scattered over the table are the sewing 
things recently used — stockings to be darned and 
the little things that denote the thrift and peace 
of a perfect home. There is a door at the right 
and one at the left. 

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DISCOVERED — A woniLin Libou' Jive and 
thirty: she is plainly, yet sweet ly dressed in 
grey — she denotes comjortable peasantry. She is 
softly singing as she waters the plants that are 
growing in the window boxes in the rear. The 
door {Right), which leads outside, is partly open, 
and at this appears an eld man — he is carrying a 
stick; he is a mild-mannered, rather sweet old 
man. He does not enter further than the door. 

Man 
Good morning, my dear. 

W Oman 

Turning partly, but not stopping her work or 
the humming. 
How do you do? 

Man 
Watering the posies again? 

Woman 
Of course. 

Man 

They re a great care to you^ 

Woman 

The greater love and care, the more tliey 
live and thri\T, like everything else. 



Man 
I believe you could make an onion bloom 
like a rose. 

Woman 
I doubt if I could do thai — but, you know, 
love will accomplish anything. 

Man 
I'm beginning to believe it — watching you. 

Woman 
You get your blarney from the Irish. 

Man 
Not a bit of it — but from the peace and 
quiet of this house — I believe God must dwell 
somewhere hereabouts. ^ ~^ 

Woman 
Wherever we are — there God dwells. 

Man 
That's true for you, my dear. 

Woman 
It's true for all of us. 

Man 

Shaking his head, perplexed. 

Maybe — maybe — I don't know. Well — 

God love you anyway, my dear- They're 

cutting the grain and I must be goino; — we 



must all help with the harvest- and it's a 
great har\est this year. 

Woman 
We've mueh to be thankful for. 

Man 

I suppose — I suppose Good-bye, my 

dear, good-bye. 

Woman 

Be careful in the sun — its very warm 

Good-bye. 

The man exits, and the woman, having been 
busy with her flowers during the foregoing con- 
versation, has finished with them. She takes up 
her little song again — humming. She puts away 
the watering-pot and goes to the table — humming 
her low, happy song all the time — she sits and 
takes up the stockings— rocking herself, she be- 
gins her work. Suddenly the door (Right) bursts 
open and in bounds her son, a lad of about six- 
teen. He is trim — slight and full of life. He 
has been running and is almost out of breath. 
He speaks almost with the hur sting open of the 
door. 

Boy 

Mother War its come They've 

declared War. 

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Woman 
My Son — — 

Boy 
We're going to fight. 

Woman 
No No It can't be it can't be 

true. 

Boy 

It is true word has just come to the 

village — an officer and some soldiers have 
arrived and they brought the news. 

Woman 
War! 

Boy ~ 
They're reading the lists of reserves now 
down in the village won't it be glorious? 

Woman 

For those who go — or those who sit at 

home ? 

Boy 

For us — for everybody. 

Woman 
Come here, my son. (He crosses.) 
She gets him at her knees. 
You don't know what war is. 



Boy 
Proudly. 
I know m\- father was a soldier. 

Woman 
And he went away to the last war- — and 

never came back. 

Boy 

Throwing his arms about her. 
Darling mother. 

\( Oman 
Did you or I share any of our country's glory 
when the war was over and I had lost a hus- 
band — and you had lost a father? 

Boy ~ 
Affectionately. 

Mother. 

Woman 

You never knew your father — you don't 
know what you missed. 

Boy 
Mother, dear — but he was a hero. 

Woman 

Yes — he was a hero — and he did his duty 
and he died. But wouldn't it have been better 

for all of us if there had been no war 

what did the war do for you —what did the 

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war do for me^ It took away the one who 
was dear to both of us. Did the sacrifice of all 
those thousands of husbands and brothers and 
fathers help you and me ? Did it help you and me 
— or anybody — that the war gave our govern- 
ment another province to grasp in its iron fist ? 

Boy 

But we've got to fight- — sometimes — mother. 

dear. 

Woman 

God never gave any man the right to kill 

— and all the laws of civilization proclaim 

"Thou shalt do no murder/' 

Boy 

But if a man didn't go to war he'd be a 

coward, mother. 

Woman 

To-day — yes— but not to-morrow — Thank 

God. See — suppose you were a man — ■ — 

Boy 
Well, I aim^nearly 

Woman 
Yes — yes — you soon will be — but suppose 
you were a man now and you were ordered to 
go to war — which would be the easier — to 
go — or to refuse^ 

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She IS lalking lo him now as if he were a little 
shaver in her arms. 

Boy 
Why. to go, of course. 

W Oman 
Well that's why men go — it's easier and it's 
the custom. It takes a braver man to say 
"No" than "Yes." 

Boy 
Tapping his breast. 

But there's something here, mother, makes 
me want to go and fight. 

Woman 
That's the animal in you, my son — that's 
what you've got to fight — not one another. 

Boy 
I don't understand. 

Woman 

Indicating his breast. 

What you feel here is in every human 

breast it makes men brave it's that 

that bids you save a drowning man and it's 
that that makes the strong protect the weak 
— but it's that same instinct, turned to sav- 
agery, makes you want to fight and kill and 
maim and thrill at news of war. You want to 



fight for your countrx . my son. but \our coun- 
try doesn't need your strength, except to till 

the soil and plough the fields what your 

country needs now is common sense — not 

soldiers That and a few policemen is all 

any country needs. 

Boy 
Don't you love your countrx'. mother^ 

Woman 

Love my country ^ God — I'd die for 

it — in the right w^ay — as proudly as an\- man. 
But we women bring our children into the 
world to live for our country — not to die for 
it it's peace and happiness brings pros- 
peri tv — not war. 

Boy 
But it s war now. 

\( Oman 
Yes — it's war now. Because our rulers are 
jealous of each other, thousands of homes are 
to be made desolate — thousands of children 
are to be made fatherless — as you were — and 
thousands of lives are to be sacrificed — and 

thev call it glorious Glorious — ? It's hid- 

eous. They took my husband — they took 
your father in the last war — I gave him gladly 
then — but to-day I'd glory in a man who had 

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the courage to say- "1 will n^)t kill my 

brother." 

Boy 

Then if the\' came to take me to the war 
now, you cl want me to refuse to go^ Is that 
it, mother^ 

Woman 

They won't come for you, my son. Gather- 
ing him in her arms. Why, you're only a little 
boy — Thank God. 

The faintest tapping oj a drum is heard as if 
in the distance — keeping time to the marching 
of men. Neither the boy nor the woman hear it. 

Boy 
What kind of a man was my father, mother? 

Woman 

The dearest man in all the world he was 

tall and fine looking — straight as an arrow — 
and when he laughed the sun seemed to shine 
brighter. Before he went away 

Boy 

Suddenly the boy hears the beating oj the drum^ 
which has gradually become louder, as though 
approaching. He is alert for a moment and then 
interrupts. 

Listen ! 

[14] 



Inslinclively the woman gathers the boy closer 
into her arms. The beating of the drum becomes 
louder as it approaches. After a pause — 

Listen ! 

Another pause, as they listen. 

It's the soliclers- mother. 

He leaps up and runs to the window looks 

out. 

They're coming this way. mother do 

come and see them. 

The woman has remained, almost immovable 

she seems to sense what is coming her 

face is toward the audience. Her back is toward 
the window, out of which the boy is looking. 

Boy 

Just see that fine fellow in front, mother — 

and what a lot of them 1 wonder what 

they think of war? 

Suddenly the drum, which has grown quite loud, 
stops beating as the troops halt. 

Why, they're stopping in front of our house 

— some of them are coming in, mother 

What does it mean^ What do they want^ 
Do you think they know father li\^ed here? 

The boy leaves the window and goes to his 
mother. She has risen and stands LEFT. She 

[15] 



clasps hun in her arms and gets hini to the 
LEFT of her. Suddenly the door (RIGHT) opens 
and ENTER a soldier. He is dressed in a non- 
descript uniform indicative of no particular 
nation. He sees the woman. He has a paper 
in his hand. As he enters he looks at the paper. 

Soldier 
Glancing up. 
Frederick Turner live here? 

Woman 



He's my son. 
Where is he? 



Soldier 
Boy 



Coming forward. , — 

My name's Frederick — but I guess you're 
asking for my father. 

Soldier 
Where is he? 

Boy 
Disappointed. 

Oh, I thought you knew he went to the 

last war — long ago he was killed. 

Soldier 
So your father was a soldier, too, eh? 

Boy 
Yes, sir. 



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Soldier 
And he was killed? 

Boy 
Yes. sir. 

Soldier 
Well, now it's your turn to go and fight 
for your country. 

Boy 

Turning to his mother. 

Mother 

W 0/71 an 

Shielding hun in her arms. 
Do you mean to say youVe come for this 
boy — this child? — 

Soldier 

He's over fifteen, isn't he^ 

Woman 
He's just sixteen. 

Soldier 

He's available then His name's on the 

list. 

Boy 

But I don't want to go and fight. 

Soldier 
Oh, you clont. eh^ 

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Boy 

No, sir. 

Soldier 

What's the matter — are you afraid^ 

Woman 

No — he's not afraid but he's been taught 

that it's wrong to kill. 

Soldier 
And who taught him that^ 

\\ Oman 

I did his mother. 

Soldier 
I'm sorry, ma'am, but you see every male 
citizen over sixteen has been called. 

Woman 
Well, my son's not going. 

Soldier 
Its the General's orders, ma'am. 

Woman 
Well, you go back to your old General and 
tell him this boy is my son and his mother 
has got something to say about what he shall 

do with his life. 

Soldier 

■ Who has been trying to protest all this time. 
If you will let me sa\' just a word, ma'am ^ 

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Woman 

Not a word dont you speak to me 

I brought this boy into the world it was I 

who suffered — and I'm a good deal more 

responsible for him than your old General 

and he's all I've got and he's mine and I love 

him. 

Soldier 

Just a minute, ma'am. 

\{ Oman 
What do you think God gave him to me 
for ^ For you to come along and take him away 
to be killed? 

Soldier ^ 

But it's war, ma'am. 

Woman 
'Well, what of that^ He had nothing to do 

with it- He wasn't asked whether he wanted 

war it's not right it's not just for one 

human being to plunge a whole nation into 
w^ar and then sit back and watch the slaughter 

of the innocents I'm not a coward 1 

could die for my country as well as any man — 
and I could send that child to his death, too, 

if it would do my country any good but 

war's not right We can pray to God all 

[19] 



we like to help us, but God never helped one 
man to kill another and He's not going to 

help now my boy's not a covv^ard he's 

his father's son and he was a soldier he 

went away to the last war and he never came 

back and now you want to take this boy 

1 tell you you sha'n't do it you 

sha'n't do it. 

Soldier 

km sorry, ma'am, but if he goes, he's got 

a chance to live if he stays, he's got no 

chance at all. 

Woman 

What do you mean^ 

Soldier 
I've got to take him — dead or alive. 

Woman 

You mean you'd kill him here 

now? 

Soldier 

I'd have to. 

Woman 

And would you do that^ 

Soldier 
Yes. 

[201 



Woman 
God what a country. 

Soldier 

Ready to start for the door. 

Come is it yes or no, before I call my 

men? 

Woman 

As the boy comes to her she takes him in her 
arms. 
My little boy. 

Boy 
Mother, clear, I won't go. 

Soldier 
Starting for the door. 
Very well, then. 

Woman 

Breaking away from the boy and stopping 
soldier at Door. RIGHT. 

Wait wait He didn't mean it he 

didn't mean it I t's my fault 1 taught _ ^ 

him — I thought ir^^as right you see I'm 

his mother and I love him 1 did so want 

him to live in peace and grow up to be a 
man — hut that dream's gone now^ — there's 

been a blight put upon the land it's war — 

and we women have got to suffer. 

[211 



Soldier 

You make it awful hard for me, ma'am. 
Do you think I like this work? Going about 
tearing away husbands and sons and sweet- 
hearts? Do you think those men out there 
have any fondness for war? Not a bit of it — 
most of them don't even know what this war's 
about— but they've all got families that 
they've had to leave — and they love them 
just as much as you love your son. I've got a 
wife and baby, too — the last sight I had of 
them, he was nursing at his mother's breast 

1 said good-bye to them yesterday 

and somehow — I never expect to see them 

again you'll forgive me, ma'am, I know 

when you understand how it is with all of us. 

Woman 

Taking his hand. 

I'm sorry — I didn't understand. I was 
selfish. 

Boy 
Interrupting, coming to his mother. 
Mother, I do so want to go. 



You want to go^ 



Woman 

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Boy 
Yes. 

V<oman 

Then go, my son, and bear your burden 
with the rest. 

Boy 
To soldier — 
You hear — I'm to go. 

Soldier 
And we'll make a soldier of you. 

Woman 
God help me. God help me. 

Boy 

Returning to woman. 

But how about you. mother w^hatdl you 

do? 

Woman 

Atten^pting to smile. 

I 'm all right, son see — I can smile — it will 

soon be over and when you come back we'll 
all go and see the Captain's baby. 



That we will — sure enough. 



Soldier 
en( 

[23] 



Woman 
Watch over him — he's only a child — and 

remember he's all I ha\e left^ I'd do as 

much for your son. 

Soldier 
Shaking her hand. 
God bless you, ma'am — and good-bye. 

Woman 
Good-bye. 

Soldier 

Come on, son — hurry up. 

Boy 
Good-bye, mother. 

She takes him in her arms. _ 

Woman 
Good-bye, my son — He shall give His angels 

charge over thee. 

Boy 
Mother. 

Woman 
Kissing him. 
My little boy. 

Woman 

Releasing himi and holding him at arm^s length. 

Now — you're a man 

She slaps him on the shoulder. 
You're a soldier. 

[24] 



He faces about to soldier. 

March ! 

The Boy marches toward Door Right and Exits 

with Soldier. 

Boy 

Calling from the outside. 

Good-bye, mother. 

Woman 
Good-bye, son. 

Immediately the drum begins to beat to the 
time of the troops as they march away — the band 
begins to play a lively march and rows of bay- 
onets show above the sills of the two windows at 
the rear as though the troops were marching past. 
The woman stands immovable — then all her 
pent-up passion breaks forth. 

Curse them -curse them God curse 

them they've taken my son they've 

sent him to war — curse of the world 1 

didn't want him to go curse you, bring 

him back — he's mine — he's mine 

The curtain descends in the midst of this 
tirade with the band playing and the bayonets 
of the soldiers passing the windows in the rear. 

CURTAIN 

[25] 



JAMES WM. BRYAN PRESS 
Washington. D. C. 



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